Beinn Eighe was declared Britain’s first National Nature Reserve in 1951, and is now celebrating its 70th anniversary year. Ian Sargent looks back over the history of the reserve and describes how management has changed, how monitoring has progressed to assess both herbivore impacts and the outcomes of management, and the wildlife of Beinn Eighe.
What makes a place special for nature? An indication that somewhere is home to notable species, habitats or geology may be its statutory designation as an SSSI in the UK, for example, or its European designation as Special Protection Area (SPA) or Special Area for Conservation (SAC), all selected in accordance with specific criteria. Other special places may have a European Diploma for Protected Areas or the status of National Scenic Area or UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.